From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ahmad Rashād (born November 19, 1949) is an
American sportscaster (mostly with NBC Sports) and former professional football
player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby
Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft,
drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the first
skill-position player taken, following three linemen.
Rashād was converted back to wide receiver while with the Cardinals,
where he played for two seasons. He then played for the Buffalo Bills
(1974–1976), the Seattle Seahawks (1976), and, most
notably, the Minnesota Vikings (1976–1982), where
he earned four Pro Bowl
selections from 1978 to 1981.
Early
life
Born Robert Earl Moore in Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma,
Washington in 1967 and accepted a football scholarship to the
University of Oregon.
Conversion and football
career
In 1972, Moore converted to Islam and changed his
name to Ahmad Rashād, which means "Admirable One Led To Truth". His
last name comes from his mentor in St. Louis Rashad Khalifa.
There are at least three players in the NFL that were named after
him, Ahman Rashad
Green, running
back for the Green Bay Packers, Ahmad Rashad
Merritt, wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, and Ahmard Rashad Hall, fullback for the Tennessee
Titans. Orlando
Magic NBA All-Star Rashard Lewis was also named after
Rashad.
Rashād eventually graduated from the University of Oregon, where he
played wide
receiver as a sophomore in 1969; then was moved to running back
where he was an All-American in
1971—playing with quarterback Dan Fouts. Rashād was named to the College Football Hall of
Fame on May 9, 2007.[1]
During his pro football career, Rashād caught 495 passes for
6,831 yards and 44 touchdowns, while also rushing for 52 yards. The
standout catch of his career came in a December 1980 game
against the Cleveland Browns. Vikings quarterback
Tommy Kramer threw
a Hail Mary
pass to Rashād that resulted in a come-from-behind 28-23
victory and a Central
Division title for the Vikings. This became known as the
Miracle Catch. Rashād also has the distinction of the longest play
from scrimmage that didn't score a touchdown: 98 yards in a 1972
game against the Rams.
Rashād replaced the same receiver, John Gilliam, in both St. Louis and
Minnesota.
Broadcasting and television
career
After his football career, he covered NFL and NBA televised contests
as a studio anchor and game reporter for NBC and ABC, as well as hosting NBA Inside
Stuff. He also has hosted the video-clip show Real TV in 2000, the
reality show Celebrity Mole, the game show Caesars
Challenge along with co-host Dan Doherty, and NBA Access with Ahmad
Rashad on the ABC network. Rashād has also guest starred
on several TV shows, mainly ones that starred his then wife
Phylicia. He used to interview long-time friend Michael Jordan
frequently while he was at NBC.
Rumored NBA
career
There is video footage of Rashad sinking a basket in a real NBA
game as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.[2]
The context surrounding his appearance is unknown, but he is seen
bragging jestfully regarding his status as the only player in NBA
history to shoot 100% for his career (implying this was his one and
only appearance in an NBA game). This was during a game against the
Milwaukee
Bucks.[2]
It has been theorized Rashad participated in only one preseason
game for the Sixers, possibly as a celebrity detail.[3]
Reliable pro basketball databases do not identify Rashad as a
former NBA player. The reasoning behind this is because it was a
promotional deal where he had been signed to a 10-day contract.[4]
Personal
life
Rashād has been married four times and divorced three. In 1969,
he married his first wife Deidre Waters. They had a daughter, Keva,
born in 1970. In addition he has a son, Sean, born out of wedlock
also in 1970. In 1976, he married his second wife, Matilda Johnson.
They had two children, daughter Maiyisha (born in 1976) and son
Ahmad Jr. (born in 1978). They divorced in 1979.
In 1985, Rashād married Cosby Show actress Phylicia
Ayers-Allen, to whom he proposed on national television during
the pregame show of NBC's broadcast
of the Thanksgiving Day football
game between the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets.[5] It was
a third marriage for both. Unlike many actresses, she adopted his
surname shortly after the wedding, and still uses the name
"Phylicia Rashād" professionally to this day. Out of this marriage,
he gained a stepson Billy Bowles (born 1973). After a year of
marriage, Ahmad and Phylicia had a daughter, Condola Phylea Rashād
(named after his mother). After nearly sixteen years of marriage,
Ahmad and Phylicia divorced in 2001.
In 2007, Rashād wed his fourth wife, Sale Johnson, the ex-wife
of Johnson & Johnson billionaire
and New York
Jets owner Woody
Johnson. He has gained three stepdaughters from this
marriage.
References
External
links
| 1972 NFL Draft First
Round Selections |
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Draft
Years
70 • 71 • 72 •
73 • 74 • 75 •
76 • 77 • 78 •
79 • 80 • 81 •
82 • 83 • 84 •
85 • 86 • 87 •
88 • 89 • 90 •
91 • 92 • 93 •
94 • 95 • 96 •
97 • 98 • 99 •
00 • 01 • 02 •
03 • 04 • 05 •
06 • 07 • 08 •
09 |
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| The Mole
(U.S.) |
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| Seasons |
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| Celebrity editions |
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| Hosts |
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| Celebrity winners |
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| Related programs &
media |
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| Networks |
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| Persondata |
| NAME |
Rashād, Ahmad |
| ALTERNATIVE
NAMES |
Moore, Robert Earl |
| SHORT
DESCRIPTION |
Former American football player, sportcaster |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
November 19, 1949 |
| PLACE OF
BIRTH |
Portland,
Oregon, U.S. |
| DATE OF DEATH |
|
| PLACE OF
DEATH |
|